Multi-ring dart warhead



Nov. 9, 1965 F. E. NULL ETAL MULTI RING DART WARHEAD 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1964 INVENTORS Nov. 9, 1965 F. E. NULL ETAL 3,216,321

MULTI RING DART WARHEAD Filed Jan. 7, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 SheetsSheet 3 F. E. NULL ETAL MULTI RING DART WARHEAD ELNg Nov. 9, 1965 Filed Jan. 7, 1964 INVENTORS K- K68 6- HOW/7B0 United States Patent 3,216,321 MULTI-RING DART WARHEAD Fay E. Null, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Werner K. Kern,

Kensington, Md., and Fred E. Howard, Jr., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., assignors to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force Filed Jan. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 336,322

'5 Claims. (Cl. 89-1) (Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a warhead for use in selfp iiopelled air-to-air, air-to-ground, and ground-to-air missi es.

One object of the invention is to provide a warhead for self-propelled missiles which will provide a very low charge-to-mass ratio.

Another object of the invention is to provide a war head for self-propelled missiles which will present a substantially solid wall through which the target cannot pass without damage.

These and other objects will be more fully understood from the following description taken with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic showing of one type of selfpropelled missile with which the warhead of the invention may be used;

FIG. 2 shows the warhead of the invention in its position within the missile of FIG. 1, before spin-up;

FIG. 3 shows the warhead of the invention in the dart launch position;

FIG. 4 shows an end view of the warhead cylinder with the frangible cover removed;

FIG. 5 shows the spreading pattern of the darts as they leave the warhead frame;

FIG. 6 shows one configuration for a dart which may be used in the warhead of the invention;

FIG. 7 shows the dart of FIG. 6 with the probe extended;

FIG. 8a is a sectional view of the dart of FIG. 7 along the line 8a8a, and

FIG. 8b is a sectional view of the dart of FIG. 7 along the line 8b8b.

The conventional warhead has a fixed angle, hollow cone fuze detection radar beam. When a target falls in this direction beam, the warhead is fired after an appropriate delay. It is designed to give a fragment beam at the angle of detection cone in time to reach the centroid of the target. The fragment pattern is in the form of an expanding annulus, only a very small fraction of which intersects the target. In order to make the fragment annulus expand at the angle of the fuze detection cone, it is necessary to add a high lateral velocity to that of the relative velocity of the missile and target complex. This high lateral velocity requires at least a 3.5 charge-to-mass ratio, thus most of the warhead weight is expended by the high explosive charges. The fragment pattern slashes sideways at the target in the form of an expanding annulus (toroidal) and, unless this slash is properly timed by the fuze, it may miss the target. If the pattern passes in front of the target, the target can fiy safely through the hoop of fragments. The angle of the fragment annulus and the delay time are correct for only one relative velocity of target to missile. If (ECM) jamming prevents accurate measurement of this relative velocity, the target has a good chance of flying through the hoop.

The multi-ring dart warhead of this invention utilizes nearly the entire warhead weight for fragments, whereas,

3,216,321 Patented Nov. 9, I965 the conventional warhead utilizes only about 22% of the total weight. The forward velocity of the multi-ring dart is obtained from the carriers kinetic energy and the charge is only the expelling force. Since the fragments have only the missile velocity, they can be launched only in the direction of the missile trajectory. The warhead being pre-spun prior to erection, launches the darts, which are ejected from the container by a very small charge. The darts expand by centrifugal force into a disc pattern, presenting an equivalent solid wall through which the target cannot fly without damage. The fuzing needed is not as critical as in prior art devices because at a 1,000 foot standoff and a 250 ft./sec. peripheral velocity, a disc of over 100 foot diameter will be formed at an appreciable missile-to-target relative velocity. A warhead can be designed so that its fragment density when the disc is 100 foot in diameter will be 3.4 darts per foot ring length. The concentric rings would be 4 feet apart by the time the disc had grown to its 100 foot diameter. A miss of feet would still permit the disc pattern to cut the target with 4 rings of darts. There is no flying through a fragment hoop, thus the effects of fuze error are practically eliminated. Should practical cases dictate miss distances greater than 50 feet, the disc pattern can be expanded to greater diameter and still attain high probability of hit.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a self-propelled missile with which the warhead of the invention may be used is shown at 10. This missile has the usual seeker shown at 11, programmer shown at 12, autopilot shown at 13, rocket banks shown at 14, jet vanes shown at 15 and 16, and warhead shown at 17. The warhead of the invention can be used with missiles other than that shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the warhead has a rotatable cylinder 20 mounted on bearings shown schematically at 21 within a warhead substantially cup-shaped frame 22. The cylinder may be rotatably retained within the frame by means of the bearing housing or other well-known means. Located within the rotatable cylinder 20 are a plurality of concentric rows of darts 24, as shown in FIG. 4, held in place against an ejection piston 25 by means of a frangible cover 26. An ejector charge 28 is located between the piston 25 and the wall 29 of rotatable cylinder 20. A squib 30 is located within the rotatable cylinder for igniting the charge 28. A sliding contact, not shown, is provided between the squib 30 and leads 31 to permit rotation of the cylinder 20. A gear 32 surrounds the rotatable cylinder and engages the gear 33 connected to spin-up motor 34. A governor and brake of conventional construction are shown at 36. A hydraulic or high-pressure gas piston (not shown) is located within the actuator 37 and is controlled by a valve 38. An operating arm 39 is connected to the warhead frame 22 with a sliding fit at 40. The frame 22 is free to pivot around pivot 41 under the control of operating arm 39.

FIGURE 6 shows the construction of one type of dart which may be used. The dart 24 has a pressurized chamber 51 abutting the ejection piston 25. A body portion 52 and a probe 53 located within the body portion 52, has a chamber 54 adjacent the end of dart probe 53 which is separated from chamber 51 by means of a frangible diaphragm seal 55. The other end of chamber 51 is sealed by means of a bellows 58. A wire 59 connects the diaphragm 55, bellows 58, and piston 25 and retains the diaphragm in place. Surrounding the dart probe in the body portion 52, is a low brisance explosive 62 located in two compartments 60 and 61 separated by a partition 63. Compartment 60 has escape ducts 65 on one side, as shown in FIG. 8a, and compartment 61 has escape ducts 66 on the opposite side as shown in FIG. 8b.

An explosive charge 67 is located in an enlarged compartment 68 surrounding the probe 53. A powder train 70 is connected between a detonator 71 and the explosives in compartments 60 and 61. The detonator 71 and powder train 70 are urged toward the probe 53 by a spring member 74. A booster 75 is located adjacent the other side of the probe remote from detonator 71. A probe detent 76, held by spring means 77, is located within compartment 68. A Mallory tip78 is attached to compartment 68 and surrounds probe 53.

In the operation of the device of the invention, a signal is received from the programmer at leads 45 to start the spin-up motor to start rotation of the cylinder 20. When the cylinder reaches a predetermined speed, a second signal from the programmer turns on valve 38 to move operating arm 39 to cause the warhead to be moved to the position shown in FIG. 3. With the cylinder 20 still rtating in this position, a third signal from the programmer fires the squib thus causing the charge'28 to drive the piston 25 and darts 24 forward to break the frangible cover 26 and eject the darts. The darts then follow an expanding pattern of concentric rings as shown schematically at 46 in FIG. 5. The dart pattern 46, though shown in the plane of the paper, would-actually appear in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the paper, with the device as shown.

After the movement of the piston 25 and darts 24 breaks the frangible cover 26, and the darts and piston 25 emerge from the cylinder 20, the pressure drag on piston 25 causes the darts to separate from piston 25, thus breaking the frangible diaphragm 55. Further movement of the dart away from piston 25 breaks the wire between diaphragm 58 and piston 25. The pressure within chamber 51 then acts against probe 53 and drives it forward to the position shown in FIG. 7. Spring member 74 then moves the detonator 71 in behind probe 53 and into contact with booster 75. Upon contact with the target, probe 53 is driven back against detonator 71 thus firing the detonator. The explosives in compartments 60 and 61 are then ignited by the powder train 70. The escaping gases of these explosives, escaping through ducts 65 and 66, cause the darts to tumble. The booster 75 is also ignited by the detonator 71 and, in turn, ignites the explosive 67 which blows off the tip 78 and the probe 53 to eliminate the large moment of inertia which would be present if the darts had to pivot around the probe tip 82. The darts then slash side-ways through the target wall thus ripping a much larger hole than if the darts were not caused to tumble. The large number of darts in the concentric circles cause substantially continuous damage which will cause parts of the target, such as wings and fuselage to crack off. Wire strands 85 may be wrapped around the darts to unravel as the darts separate to maintain the darts in a fixed pattern.

There is thus provided a warhead for use in self-propelled missiles which has a low charge-to-mass ratio and which presents a substantially solid wall through which the target can not pass without damage.

While a certain specific embodiment has been described in detail, it is to be understood that certain modifications may be made without departing from the general principle and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A warhead for use in self-propelled missiles, comprising; a cup-shaped frame, a pivotable connection between said frame and said missile, a cylinder'rotatably mounted within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said cylinder within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said frame about said pivot to thereby erect said frame to the firing position, said cylinder having a closure wall at the end adjacent said frame, a piston within said cylinder spaced from said closure wall, an ejector charge located between said piston and said closure wall, means for igniting said ejector charge, a plurality of dart means located within said cylinder adjacent said piston on the side thereof'r'emote from said ejector charge, and a frangible cover sealing said cylinder at the end remote from said closure wall.

2. A warhead for use in self-propelled missiles, comprising; a cup-shaped frame, a pivotable connection between said frame and said missile, a cylinder mounted within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said cylinder within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said frame about said pivotable connection to thereby erect said frame to the firing position, bearing means between said frame and said cylinder for permitting rotation of said cylinder within said frame, said cylinder having a closure wall at the end adjacent said frame, a piston within said cylinder spaced from said closure wall, an ejector charge located between said piston and said closure wall, means for igniting said ejector charge, a plurality of concentric rows of darts located within said cylinder adjacent said piston on the side thereof remote from said ejector charge, and a frangible cover sealing said cylinder at the end remote from said closure wall.

3. A warhead for use in self-propelled missiles, comprising; a cup-shaped frame, a pivotable connection between said frame and said missile, a cylinder rotatably mounted within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said cylinder within said frame, means within said missile for rotating said frame about said pivotable connection to thereby erect said frame to the firing position, said cylinder having a closure wall at the end adjacent said frame, a piston within said cylinder spaced from said closure wall, an ejector charge located between said piston and said closure wall, means for igniting said ejector charge, a frangible cover sealing said cylinder at the end remote from said closure wall, a pluralityof concentric rows of darts located within said cylinder between said piston and said frangible cover, each of said darts having a dart body member, a dart probe located within said dart body member, means for dividing said dart body member into two longitudinally spaced compartments, a low brisance explosive in each of said compartments surrounding said dart probe, a first gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent one of said compartments, a second gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent the other of said compartments, said first and second gas duct means being located on diametrically opposed sides of said dart body, a pressure chamber adjacent one end of said dart body, a frangible diaphragm between said pressure chamber and said compartments in said dart body, means for breaking said frangible diaphragm when said darts are fired, whereby said dart probe ,is driven forward when said diaphragm is broken, a dart tip member surrounding said dart probe at the end of said dart body remote from said pressure chamber, an enlarged compartment between said dart body and said dart tip, a detonator within said enlarged compartment, an explosive charge within said enlarged compartment surrounding said dart probe, a booster charge adjacent said probe and said explosive charge on the side of said probe remote from said detonator means for urging said detonator against said probe whereby said detonator is moved adjacent said booster charge when said probe is driven forward and a powder train connected between said detonator and the explosives in the compartments in said dart body.

4. A dart for use in the warhead of a self-propelled missile, comprising; a dart body member, a dart probe located within said dart body member, means for divid ing said dart body member into two longitudinally spaced compartments, a low brisance explosive in each of said compartments surrounding said dart probe, a first gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent one of said compartments, a second gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent the other of said compartments, said first and second gas duct means being located on diametrically opposed sides of said dart body, a pressure chamber adjacent one end of said dart body, a frangible diaphragm between said pressure chamber and said compartments in said dart body, means for breaking said frangible diaphragm when said darts are fired, whereby said dart probe is driven forward when said diaphragm is broken, a dart tip member surrounding said dart probe at the end of said dart body remote from said pressure chamber, an enlarged compartment between said dart body and said dart tip, a detonator within said enlarged compartment, an explosive charge within said enlarged compartment surrounding said dart probe, a booster charge adjacent said probe and said explosive charge on the side of said probe remote from said detonator means for urging said detonator against said probe whereby said detonator is moved adjacent said booster charge when said probe is driven forward and a powder train connected between said detonator and the explosives in the compartments in said dart body.

5. A dart for use in the warhead of a self-propelled missile, comprising; a dart body member, a dart probe located within said dart body member, means for dividing said dart body member into two longitudinally spaced compartments, a first gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent the first of said compartments, a second gas escape duct means in said dart body adjacent the second of said compartments, said first and second gas duct means being located on diametrically opposed sides of said dart body, means within said compartments for providing expanding gases within said two compartments, whereby the escape of said gases through said escape ducts causes opposite forces on said darts to cause the darts to tumble, a pressure chamber adjacent one end of said dart body, a frangible diaphragm between said pressure chamber and first compartment in said dart body, means for breaking said frangible diaphragm when said darts are fired, whereby said dart probe is driven forward when said diaphragm is broken, a dart tip member surrounding said dart probe at the end of said dart body remote from said pressure chamber, a third compartment between said second compartment and said dart tip, a detonator within said third compartment, an explosive charge within said third compartment surrounding said dart probe, a booster charge adjacent said probe and said explosive charge on the side of said probe remote from said detonator means for urging said detonator against said probe whereby said detonator is moved adjacent said booster charge when said probe is driven forward and a powder train connected between said detonator and the explosives in the first and second compartments in said dart body.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A WARHEAD FOR USE IN SELF-PROPELLED MISSILES, COMPRISING; A CUP-SHAPED FRAME, A PIVOTABLE CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID FRAME AND SAID MISSILE, A CYLINDER ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID FRAME, MEANS WITHIN SAID MISSILE FOR ROTATING SAID CYLINDER WITHIN SAID FRAME, MEANS WITHIN SAID MISSILE FOR ROTATING SAID FRAME ABOUT SAID PIVOT TO THEREBY ERECT SAID FRAME TO THE FIRING POSITION, SAID CYLINDER HAVING A CLOSURE WALL AT THE END ADJACENT SAID FRAME, A PISTON WITHIN SAID CYLINDER SPACED FROM SAID CLOSURE WALL, AN EJECTOR CHARGE LOCATED BETWEEN SAID PISTON AND SAID CLOSURE WALL, MEANS FOR IGNITING SAID EJECTOR CHARGE, A PLURALITY OF DART MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID CYLINDER ADJACENT SAID PISTON ON THE SIDE THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID EJECTOR CHARGE, AND A FRANGIBLE COVER SEALING SAID CYLINDER AT THE END REMOTE FROM SAID CLOSURE WALL. 